The 2020-21 NHL season will be very different and rather unpredictable amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Because of that, it won't be easy to make Stanley Cup Final predictions this year.
Despite all the uncertainty, playoff odds still are being drawn up, and two teams stand above the rest. According to BetOnline.ag, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche have the best odds to win the 2021 Stanley Cup.
And then there were four. The Sharks' 3-2 win over the Avalanche in Game 7 of their NHL playoff second-round series sent them to the Western Conference final and one step closer to the Stanley Cup. And San Jose's odds to win it all continue to increase. Going into their series with the St. Louis Blues, the Sharks have 12/5 odds to take home the Cup, according to Westgate Las Vegas Superbook. The current odds for the top contenders to win the Stanley Cup Finals today are: Tampa Bay Lightning: +650. Colorado Avalanche: +800. Vegas Golden Knights: +800. Boston Bruins: +800. Toronto Maple Leafs: +800.
Here's how the top 10 looks:
If the Lightning repeat as Stanley Cup champions, it'll be the first time the team accomplished back-to-back titles in franchise history. It would also be the team's third Stanley Cup overall.
The NHL has not seen a team go back-to-back since Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins took home the Cup in 2016 and 2017.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, have not won a title since 2001. Patrick Roy was named MVP of the Stanley Cup Final that year.
The Avs have been among the NHL's top teams the past few seasons, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them come out on top of the West Division.
Last season, the Avs finished second in the Central Division behind the St. Louis Blues. The Dallas Stars eliminated Colorado in the second round of the playoffs.
Starting June 1st and continuing through June 8th, the 2016 Stanley Cup will be broadcast nationally. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the states that have sports betting, you are going to want to study up on the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. So far, it’s very early to tell who will win, but the oddsmakers have made their early predictions. So far, the teams with the best odds are the Washington Capitals, with odds of +550; the Chicago Blackhawks, also with odds of +750; the Dallas Stars, with odds of +800; and the Florida Panthers, with odds of +1200. Let’s take a look at each of these teams and their statistics, starting with the Capitals. Continue reading